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Come Fan with UsSaturday, June 20, 2026

Sporting News says Jared Crick best player in college football

It’s the time of the year where college football annuals hit the stands. The amount of glossy covers in the sports section at Borders resembles Archimedes’ Burning Mirrors. (Classical studies humor!)

Take these annuals for what you will. One of them has Oklahoma first in the nation, which is kind of crazy. I like them because it helps educate me some on every team in a quick way.

Regardless, each one always has some wildly noteworthy inclusion. In the Sporting News annual, the editors picked Nebraska junior defensive tackle Jared Crick as the best player in college football.

Obviously being the best player in college football doesn’t always mean being the best draft-eligible player in the nation. But it’s interesting, especially since TSN also names Crick a Heisman Trophy candidate.

“The most disruptive defender in the college game. Think Ndamukong Suh. He’s that good,” is how TSN described him.

High praise.

The rest of TSN's top five college players are (in order), Patrick Peterson (CB, LSU), Mark Ingram (RB, Alabama), Ryan Mallett (QB, Arkansas), Kellen Moore (QB, Boise State).

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